Laurie Holden defended her character Andrea's strength and reasons for not killing the Governor during the "Walking Dead" Paleyfest panel

To say Andrea has made some questionable decisions in Season 3 of AMC's "The Walking Dead" is putting things mildly. Laurie Holden's character learned that the Governor is an evil man in the first half of the current season, but still was unable to bring herself to kill him when the opportunity recently presented itself.

But, as Holden explained at the 2013 Paleyfest "The Walking Dead" panel, that's not because Andrea still has feelings for the Governor. Rather, as many fans of the show have already pointed out, she has never killed a human being before, and was unable to bring herself to kill the Governor in his sleep in "I Ain't a Judas."

"[She thinks he's] a bad man. How could she not? She [liked him] until she went back to the prison and found out everything she did," Holden explained to the audience at the Saban Theatre. "When she goes back and sleeps with him again, it's not because she's having a weak female moment and thinks he's handsome. She thought she could follow through with Carol's plan. Andrea thought she could do it and tried to do it. I think sleeping with him disgusted her. Then, she woke up, and -- it's one thing to kill someone in self-defense, but it's another to stand over with them a knife while they're sleeping. She couldn't do it. You could call that weak or you could call that strong. But Andrea has never killed anyone before. She wants to find the humanity in both [Rick and the Governor]."

That's not to say that the Governor is necessarily 100 percent evil, though. When asked if David Morrissey's character was as horrible as he can get, producer David Alpert had an interesting response.

"I don't think any one character can be summed up that way," he said. "All the characters have elements of good and bad and evil in them. The Governor and Rick are both facing the same problems. They're both leaders, both trying to keep their communities alive. Right now, the Governor is actually doing a better job at that. There's a part of him that's good. He wants to be that father figure. But the darkness has allowed him to grow and prosper."

Danai Gurira and Holden have differing views on the changed relationship between their characters

It quickly became clear during the panel that, while Holden and Danai Gurira are friends in real life, they have very different views on the changed relationship between their characters. Andrea and Michonne were best buds when Season 3 began, but then Andrea chose to stay at Woodbury with the Governor and Michonne left, only to end up teaming with the Prison crew. Gurira and Holden had a couple of disagreements onstage about the motivations of their characters, but Holden admitted she likes to think Michonne and Andrea's ultimate separation was made from a mature place.

"These are two adult women who wanted different things. Andrea did not choose a guy over [Michonne]. She wanted a life and wanted community," she explained. "I think we could've landed anywhere and [Michonne] would've been unhappy. I think she didn't want to share Andrea with anyone, she just wanted it to be the two of them. No one abandoned anyone. Michonne chose to leave and Andrea chose to stay." Even Gurira seemed to agree with that assessment.

As for Rick, Andrew Lincoln waxed poetic about his character's current state of mind. He'll be the first to admit that Rick has gone off the deep end, but said that this past Sunday's "Clear" marks a turning point for the Prison's leader.

"He's been making some terrible calls ... well let's be honest, he's always made terrible calls," Lincoln said. Even Rick's son Carl has called him out on his unstable mental state, to which Lincoln commented, "He has a point. I have been making some terrible calls. So, you know, bless him. Parenting in the apocalypse."

Speaking of the apocalypse, one fan asked each actor on stage what he or she thought their character's ideal outcome in "The Walking Dead" would be. While some didn't have answers, Steve Yeun seemed to know exactly what Glenn is hoping for as a happy ending.

"In this perfect world, what would happen is that the Governor would be dead and he would be happy with Maggie in a field full of -- food," he said. "Field full of food" then became a running joke of the night.

Expect to see more Carl as the show - and comic - move forward

Another fan asked Norman Reedus what he thought of the Daryl and Carol 'shippers. Melissa McBride wasn't on the panel, but Reedus seemed to love the idea of their two characters finally consummating their attraction for one another.

"I like these two damaged people gravitating towards each other," he said. "If it happens, it happens. ... I don't want to make the first move. Daryl is becoming the man he never would've become if this tragedy never happened. People rely on him and it gives him a sense of self worth. I think that makes his brother [Merle] jealous."

If you've loved Chandler Riggs' Carl this season, then you are not alone. Robert Kirkman openly declared that Carl is "one of my favorite aspects of the comic and the show," promising much to come from that character in the coming seasons.

"[We] watch him grow and evolve from this kid who's almost a burden to a child soldier," he said. "Where we're gonna go with this kid is some pretty exciting places. This season is really just the beginning of his journey."

Also of note is the fact that Kirkman shot down any chance of a crossover with "The Walking Dead" Telltale video game that won Game of the Year at the Spike Video Game Awards in 2012. Kirkman explained that he likes that the comics, TV series and game stand on their own, and he doesn't expect Clementine to cross paths with Rick & Co. any time soon. Still, never say never.

"The Walking Dead" airs Sundays on AMC at 9 PM.